FIRST CAPTIVE BREEDING OF THE ORIENTAL CRESTED IBIS (NIPPONIA-NIPPON)

The Oriental Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon) is one of the rarest birds in the world with a total population of less than 40 birds. The speci es, formerly found in the Russian Far East,Japan, North and South Kore a and in northern and central China, has declined sharply because of c hanges in environment and the inability of the ibises to adapt to thes e changes. The remaining wild population is limited to Yangxian County , Shaanxi Province, central China. A captive breeding program may be a n important part of a successful conservation effort. Captive breeding of the Crested Ibis has been attempted in China since 1986 when the O riental Crested Ibis Breeding Center was established at the Beijing Zo o. In 1992, three chicks hatched, fledged and survived. These birds we re still alive as of fall 1994. The three birds are the first Oriental Crested Ibis chicks successfully raised in captivity. This paper summ arizes the status of laboratory research as well as captive breeding a nd status of the wild population.